Grill bone-in chicken thighs for about 25–30 minutes for juicy meat and crispy skin. The key is controlled heat and moving the thighs as they cook to prevent flare-ups and burning.
⏱️ Quick Answer: How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs
- Grill temp: 450°F (medium-high)
- Bone-in thighs: 25–30 minutes to 185°F (recommended)
- For 165°F: about 20–25 minutes (safe but not as tender)
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🧾 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- 🐓 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: Grilling Chicken Thighs
- ⏲️ How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs
- ♨️ Best Grill Temperature and Uneven Grilling Method
- 🐔 Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs
- 😊 Seasonings, BBQ & Marinade Options
- 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- ❄️ Storage & Reheating
- 😊 Other Delicious Chicken Recipes
- ❓ FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Davey:
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"This site is the Holy Grail for how to cook chicken thighs. I trim off excess fat, season liberally with 7:2:1 rub (with an extra ½ part smoked paprika), and grill to 185-190. Comes out so delicious. Made them again yesterday, and people were telling me how fantastic the chicken was. Thanks!"
🧾 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What it is: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs grilled until juicy with crispy skin.
Why it works: Moving the thighs as they cook helps control flare-ups and prevents burnt skin.
How to make it: Grill over medium-high heat, flipping and moving the thighs until they reach 185°F.
🐓 Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – Best for juicy meat and crispy skin. Boneless or skinless thighs may be used, but they cook faster and need timing adjustments.
- Seasoning – Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need. You can also use your favorite BBQ rub, All-Purpose 7:2:2 Seasoning, or another seasoning blend.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Grilling Chicken Thighs
1. Trim and season – Remove extra fat or loose skin, then season with salt, pepper, or your favorite seasoning or BBQ rub.
2. Grill at 450°F with uneven timing – Grill skin-side up for 5–6 minutes and skin-side down for 4 minutes. Keep repeating that uneven timing, flipping and moving to a new area of the grill each time to control flare-ups.
3. Finish and rest – Continue grilling until the internal temperature reaches 185°F. Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
👇For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏲️ How Long to Grill Chicken Thighs
Grill bone-in chicken thighs on a gas grill at about 450°F for 25–30 minutes to reach the recommended internal temperature of 185°F.
For the USDA-safe minimum of 165°F, they may be done in about 20–25 minutes, but the meat is often stringier and less tender. I found that especially noticeable in my early testing.
Use the uneven grilling method—keep the skin-side-up periods longer than the skin-side-down periods, and move the thighs to a new grill area with each flip to control flare-ups.
Always cook to internal temperature, not just time.
♨️ Best Grill Temperature and Uneven Grilling Method
A grill surface temperature of about 450°F (medium-high) works best for bone-in chicken thighs. It is hot enough to crisp the skin, but not so hot that flare-ups and burning become hard to control.
Use the uneven grilling method: grill skin-side up for 5–6 minutes, then skin-side down for 4 minutes. Repeat that timing, moving the thighs to a new area of the grill after each flip so fat does not keep dripping onto the same hot spot.
- Preheat the entire grill so you have room to move the chicken.
- Trim excess fat and loose skin before grilling.
- Use a grill-surface thermometer if you have one; hood thermometers are often inaccurate.
- Continue until the internal temperature reaches 185°F.
Other grill types: Charcoal and pellet grills also work if you can hold the cooking surface near 450°F and leave enough room to move the thighs away from flare-ups or hotter areas.
For help with grill temperatures, see Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.
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🐔 Grilling Boneless Chicken Thighs
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook much faster than bone-in thighs—usually about 10–15 minutes total at 450°F.
Flip every 4–5 minutes; no need for uneven grilling times. Cook to 185°F for the best texture. A light coating of oil can help prevent sticking and drying.
😊 Seasonings, BBQ & Marinade Options
Seasoning: Salt and pepper are enough, or use your favorite seasoning blend, Classic BBQ Rub or Memphis Dry Rub
BBQ sauce: Brush on during the last 5 minutes of grilling, then add more after cooking if you like. Use your favorite sauce or my Memphis Barbecue Sauce
Marinade: Optional, but it works especially well with boneless thighs. Avoid very sugary marinades until later in cooking, or they may burn. Try my Lemon Butter Marinade.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve grilled chicken thighs with a fresh salad and a simple side such as Grilled Baby Potatoes, potato salad, grilled vegetables, or corn on the cob.
For a sweeter contrast, Grilled Pineapple also works well.
❄️ Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes or an air fryer at 350°F for 5–7 minutes to help re-crisp the skin. The microwave works, but the skin will soften.
😊 Other Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs – Crispy skin and juicy meat from the oven
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks – Similar grill method with dark meat
- Oven Baked Chicken Legs – Crispy skin without the grill
- Grilled Chicken Breasts – A leaner grilled chicken option
❓ FAQs
Trim visible fat from the underside and edges. Remove loose or hanging skin, but leave the attached skin in place to help keep the meat juicy.
You can, but a meat thermometer is the best way to avoid undercooking or overcooking. For the best texture, cook chicken thighs to about 185°F.
Cook to about 185°F for tender, juicy meat and crisp skin. America’s Test Kitchen also recommends higher temperatures for dark meat, up to 190–195°F for extra tenderness. The USDA minimum is 165°F for safety.
Fat drips cause flare-ups. Trim excess fat, keep the grill around 450°F, and move the thighs to a clean area after each flip.
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Chicken Thighs (Juicy with Crispy Skin)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt and Pepper or seasoning of choice
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the grill
- Preheat your gas grill to a surface temperature of about 450°F—medium to medium-high on most grills. Clean and oil the grill grates well. Preheat the entire grill so you can rotate the thighs to avoid flare-ups.
Trim and season
- While the grill is preheating, let the thighs rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes if you have time.
- Trim excess fat and loose skin. Season all sides with salt, pepper, or your favorite seasoning or BBQ rub. Brushing the skin lightly with oil is optional.
Grill with uneven grilling method
- Place the thighs skin-side up over direct heat. Grill for 5–6 minutes, then flip skin-side down, move to a new area of the grill, and cook for 4 minutes. Continue repeating the uneven timing—5–6 minutes skin-side up and 4 minutes skin-side down—moving to a new area with every flip. Reduce the heat if the skin is getting too dark.
- Grill until the internal temperature reaches 185°F, usually about 25–30 minutes. Check the temperature early and cook to temperature, not time.
Resting
- Let the grilled thighs rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Keep the grill surface around 450°F. A surface thermometer is more accurate than the grill hood thermometer.
- Trim excess fat and loose skin to reduce flare-ups.
- Use the uneven grilling method and move the thighs to a new area with every flip.
- Cook to about 185°F for tender thighs. Chicken is safe at 165°F, but the texture will be firmer and stringier.
- Always cook to internal temperature, not time.
- Boneless thigh modifications are discussed in the post.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published August 1, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Philip Brun says
Delicious, easy to follow recipe. The whole family loved it. Thanks for the pictures too.
jen watson says
Fantastic! Easy to follow (thanks for the photos!) and delicious results! Now I am successful at grilling chicken...Yay!!
Davey says
This site is the Holy Grail for how to cook chicken thighs. I trim off excess fat, season liberally with 7:2:1 rub (with an extra 1/2 part smoked paprika), and grill to 185-190. Comes out so delicious. Made them again yesterday and people were telling me how fantastic the chicken was. Thanks!
Lesa Browning says
Best grilled chicken recipe ever! I followed exactly and chicken thighs were perfect.
Andee says
Use your grilling technique for chicken thighs and drumsticks tonight, it was cooked PERFECT! Thank you for sharing.
Josh Miller says
I made this recipe tonight for dinner and it was amazing! I used Weber's chicken & rib rub, pepper, & garlic powder on both sides.
I have feeling my wife is going to have me make this at least once if not twice a week.
Thank you for the recipe!
Joshua Miller says
I forgot to add, it was so juicy that when I cut it open is squirted juice out (literally about 3" across my plate). I kept my gas grill between 450 & 475. 5:30 skin side up then 4 skin side down and kept rotating it till I got to 25 minutes (I don't have a thermometer). It turned out perfect!